Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023
64. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how many applications for work permits for transmission line workers have been refused by his Department in 2022 and to date in 2023; if he is aware of the implications for enterprise and wider infrastructural development of these refusals; if he will intervene to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31625/23]
View answerMy Department informs me that in 2022, 9 applications for employment permits were refused for the occupation “Overhead Lineman” and to date in 2023, 7 applications have been refused for the occupation “Line Worker”.
Officials of my Department have been engaging with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications over the last number of weeks with regard to the role of overhead linesman which has been identified as a key role in short supply across the EU in the energy and supply services sector and a submission has been received recently from the sector. The submission is under active consideration at present.
The Critical Skills Occupations List and the Ineligible Occupations List submissions opened on the 26th June 2023 and will remain open for 8 weeks. The Review will take into account the submissions made through the stakeholder consultation process and will also be informed by research undertaken by labour market policy research bodies such as the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) and SOLAS. The views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group, chaired by this Department, which includes representatives of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications as the policy department for the sector will also be considered.
My Department actively responds to the concerns raised by various sectors of the economy with regard to the critical short supply of skills in a number of roles and this has been highlighted by the number of amendments made to the Employment Permits Regulations over the last two years, with many sectors provided with access to employment permits.
